


Day 19: Santa

by Sang_argente



Series: 25 Days of Fic [19]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 15:25:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2855780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sang_argente/pseuds/Sang_argente
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You know, you didn't tell me what you were even doing here tonight.”</p>
<p>“I was just coming to see Santa.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day 19: Santa

“Well, I can honestly say I never expected this,” A familiar voice said from behind Stiles.

Stiles closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, trying to hold his fragile patience together. It was not unlike trying to hold two bricks together with bubblegum. 

“Whatever you have to say, Peter, just say it,” Stiles grit out, turning to face the older man. If he was going to mock Stiles, he could damn well do it to his face. “It's been a long day and it looks like an even longer night.”

Surprise sparked in Peter's eyes, just enough to change the color from the usual cold steel to a warmer sky blue. It was something Stiles had seen happen several times over the past few months.

Peter raised his hands defensively. “I only meant that you look good as an elf.”

An angry flush burned bright on Stiles's cheeks. He took a moment to hate himself, knowing the redness only added to the cute elf picture he was making. It was bad enough to take the job out of sheer desperation, but he'd be damned if he stood here and let someone mock him. Especially Peter.

“I don't have time for this,” Stiles muttered, standing from his table in the food court and throwing his trash away. The burger and fries he had ordered had long gone cold, what little he managed to eat sitting in his stomach like a rock. “Excuse me.”

“Hey, now,” Peter said, following Stiles away from the food court and deeper into the mall. “I'm serious. Red is definitely your color, but the green is a good second choice. Really.”

Stiles glanced at Peter out of the corner of his eye to judge his sincerity but kept walking. “Yes, well, only Santa wears red. You should know that.”

“Sure, I know that,” Peter nodded. He curled his arm around Stiles's waist and brought him close just before a rather haggard looking woman powered her way through the crowd from behind them, still nearly taking Stiles's arm off.

Stiles clenched his fingers around a handful of Peter's leather jacket, startled, but let go as soon as the danger had passed. “Thanks.”

“Anytime,” Peter assured, keeping his arm where it was. 

Stiles opened his mouth to say something, but stopped as he noticed two of the very creepy guys who had been staring at him in the food court were following them from a short distance. Instead, he pressed even closer and slid his own arm underneath Peter's jacket, curling two fingers into Peter's belt loop.

When Peter looked down at him with a smirk, Stiles cut his eyes to the side and back a few times, waiting for Peter to understand. A narrowing of the eyes and subtle flaring of the nostrils let Stiles know he was successful.

“Can you do me a favor?” Stiles asked, leaning up a bit to whisper in Peter's ear. At Peter's nod, he continued. “Those guys have been following me all day. I think they have some sort of fetish for the costume. Will you stay nearby until my shift's over?”

“You have a ride home?” Peter murmured, dropping his face down. 

“No,” Stiles admitted, a little frustrated by the prospect. “The jeep is in the shop. Scott was supposed to pick me up but he text me while I was on break and said he was busy. I was just gonna catch a ride with Kevin.”

“Kevin?” Peter asked, his eyes flashing.

“Oh, uh, Deputy McKinnon,” Stiles clarified. “He's the mall Santa tonight, otherwise I would just walk home.”

“No need,” Peter said confidently. He moved his other arm so Stiles could see the bags hanging from his fingers. “I've finished shopping so I'll wait until your shift is over and give you a ride home.”

Spying Santa's set up a few yards ahead, Stiles let the matter drop, content to let Peter do as he wanted now that he was sure he wasn't being mocked. Or, he thought to himself after a quick glance told him the creeps were still following, worse.

As the hours went by, Stiles worried every time he glanced over and spotted the strange men, only to calm down a moment later when Peter would show up from nowhere, fangs glinting under harsh fluorescent lights. He greeted each little child kindly and enthusiastically, never showing his panic, not even when Peter disappeared long enough for one of the creeps to close enough to smell, even with Stiles's weak human senses.

“Alright, Stiles, that was the last one,” Deputy McKinnon said, standing from his chair with a groan. “I think you're good to go. You got a ride?”

“Yeah,” Stiles said, blushing a little as Peter appeared at his side with his coat. “Where did you get that?!”

“From your locker,” Peter answered slowly, looking at Stiles as if he was a bit dim. He held the coat out and smiled when Stiles slid into it without protest.

“You with him?” McKinnon asked Stiles sharply, looking Peter over like a criminal.

“Mm, yes,” Peter said quietly, turning Stiles to button the coat for him. “I offered him a ride when I noticed a few concerns. If you look twenty degrees to your left, I find you will note those same concerns.”

McKinnon turned in the direction Peter suggested, eyes narrowing at the sight of the two men from earlier. “I'll take care of that, no worries. You take care of him.”

Peter smiled at McKinnon sincerely and said, “No worries.”

As they turned to walk out the mall doors, Stiles finally relaxed into Peter's loose embrace, the tension of the night flying away with the cool night breeze. “You know, you didn't tell me what you were even doing here tonight.”

Turning his gaze to look down at Stiles, Peter laughed and said, “I was just coming to see Santa.”

**Author's Note:**

> 25 Days of Fic prompts are closed but regular prompts (any pairing/fandom/theme) are open [here.](http://stilesthesasswolf.com)


End file.
